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Matlacha, FL · Municipal

gulfcoastnewsnow.com

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Lee, Charlotte leaders weigh library and sheriff funding after Amendment 3 passes

LEE COUNTY, Fla. — Florida homeowners are set to see property tax reductions starting in 2027 following the passage of Amendment 3, but the financial relief could lead to budget challenges for local governments, raising concerns about funding for libraries and law enforcement. Library patrons are among those worried...

Lee County, FL · 1d

Venice Gondolier

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Peace River water levels expected to top 16 feet

ARCADIA — Due to days of heavy rainfall in portions of Florida, water levels in the Peace River have caused flooding in multiple counties, including DeSoto County.

Desoto County, FL · 3d

WINKNEWS.com

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Estero assesses flood risks and plans resilience projects

ESTERO, Fla. (WINK)—The Village of Estero completed a nearly half-million-dollar vulnerability assessment to identify risks from flooding and other natural hazards, guide future resilience investments, and qualify for certain state grants. The study used grant money from Lee County and identified high-risk areas. It found 17% of local roads,...

Estero, FL · 1d

beachtalkradionews.com

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Trish is Out. Amanda is in.

An Inauguration Ceremony for three members elected to the Lee Board of County Commissioners will be held 8:30Am Tuesday, Nov. 17, in the Commission Chambers of the Old Lee County Courthouse in Fort Myers. A reception will follow at 9 a.m., and the regularly scheduled Board meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. The public is invited to attend.

Fort Myers, FL · 2d

gulfcoastnewsnow.com

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Target store to anchor new eastern Lee County shopping center at Daniels Parkway and SR-82

LEE COUNTY, Fla. — Target will anchor the new Creekside Marketplace, alongside a medical office building at the intersection of Daniels Parkway and State Road 82. This shopping center will mean people who live here in eastern Lee County won't have to drive as far to shop. "We have...

Lee County, FL · 1d

WINKNEWS.com

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FDOT says traffic light needed at Gulf Coast Medical Center

LEE COUNTY, Fla. (WINK)—Heavy evening traffic near Gulf Coast Medical Center raised concerns about whether drivers could safely get in and out of the hospital. A Lee Health nurse came to WINK Listens concerned the problem was more than an inconvenience and had become a safety issue. Elizabeth Love-Cornell...

Lee County, FL · 1d

gulfcoastnewsnow.com

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Amendment 3 passed in Florida, but Lee County faces an $88M-plus revenue hit for fiscal 2027-28

LEE COUNTY, Fla. — Florida homeowners will see significant property tax savings starting in 2027 after the passage of Amendment 3, which increases the homestead exemption to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028. Barbara Smith, a Fort Myers resident, shared her thoughts on the amendment's approval. "I voted...

Lee County, FL · 2d

gulfshorebusiness.com

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Tim Aten Knows: Vet Center, preschool coming to North Naples

Q: Do you know what they are building on Immokalee Road next to Cornerstone Church? – Pete Spagnuolo Jr., Naples. A: Site work began in September for a veterans center and a preschool planned on Immokalee Road lots in front of Cornerstone United Methodist Church, immediately east of Gulf Coast High School in North Naples.

Naples, FL · 23h

WINKNEWS.com

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SWFL counties avoid alerts as Florida hits 524 dengue cases

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA (WINK)—Florida reported 39 new locally acquired dengue cases in one week. That brought the statewide total to 524 cases in 2026 across 12 counties. Health officials continued to urge people to take precautions against mosquito bites. The report placed 11 counties under advisories, including Manatee and Sarasota....

Florida · 21h

WINKNEWS.com

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Charlotte County starts 2028 budget triage after Amendment 3

CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. (WINK) — With the passage of Amendment Three, which reduces the amount of property taxes Floridians pay, Charlotte County officials are discussing for major cuts to public safety budgets. The measure passed with 62% voter approval, clearing the 60% needed to pass. Charlotte County Sheriff Bill...

Charlotte County, FL · 2d

gulfshorebusiness.com

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Fishermen’s Village restaurant wins waterfront seating

The Islands Kitchen & Cocktail House will soon have raised outdoor seating 10 feet from the water after its owners were granted a variance by Punta Gorda City Council on Oct. 28. The restaurant’s company, PGFL Associates LLC, is owned by a local team consisting of managing partner Kurt Brown;...

Punta Gorda, FL · 4d

Naples Daily News

partner publisher · 28.0K followers

Voters choose Lauren Melo to replace longtime state senator representing SWFL

Republican Lauren Melo has won the Florida Senate race in District 28. In the race, Melo, a six-year veteran of the Florida Legislature, faced David Silverberg, a first-time Democratic candidate and veteran journalist. She secured 62.2% of the vote — or a total of 142,378 votes. In a Facebook post after her win on Tuesday night, she wrote: "I'm humbled and honored to be your next state senator. Over these past months, I've met so many wonderful people across Collier, Hendry and Lee counties. Whether you opened your door, came out to an event or shared what matters most to your family, every conversation shaped this campaign." She thanked her family for standing by her "every step of the way." District 28 covers all of Collier and Hendry counties, along with eastern parts of Lee County . The new senator will have big shoes to fill, replacing former Sen. Kathleen Passidomo. After serving in the Florida Senate since 2016, Passidomo, R-Naples, reached her term limit this year. She served longer than the eight-year limit because of redistricting. She became the third woman elected Senate President and secured billions of dollars in state funding for Southwest Florida during her tenure in

Florida · 3d

gulfshorebusiness.com

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Charlotte County condo market rebounds as tax relief passes

Following several years of falling condominium prices and a buildup of inventory, prices and demand are slowly coming back as the Charlotte County market emerges from several factors that kept it depressed. September data supplied by Realtors of Punta Gorda-Port Charlotte-North Port-DeSoto Inc. show closed sales of condominiums and townhomes...

Charlotte County, FL · 3d

WINKNEWS.com

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Charlotte County voters extend school tax for 4 more years

CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. (WINK)—Charlotte County voters approved a four-year extension of the 1-mill school tax. The ballot asked whether the Charlotte County School District should extend the current one-mill ad valorem millage for four years to maintain the quality of the public school system, enhance school security and recruit and retain highly effective teachers and support staff with competitive salaries to enhance student achievement.

Charlotte County, FL · 2d

The Daily Sun

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FDOT: Sumter northbound ramp to close at night

NORTH PORT — Workers rebuilding the Sumter Boulevard ramps to Interstate 75 will close the northbound on-ramp for several nights next week.

North Port, FL · 1d

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Signs offering cash for diabetes test strips are banned in Lee County, but the sales may be legal

LEE COUNTY, Fla. — Nearly 1 in 10 adults in Florida live with diabetes, and signs in Lee County offering cash for diabetic test strips have raised questions about how these businesses operate and whether they are legal. Near Summerlin Road and Cypress Lake Drive in Lee County, bold...

Lee County, FL · 11h

lehighacrescitizen.com

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Lee County DOT advises motorists to be aware of overnight traffic shift on Ortiz Avenue

Lee County Department of Transportation asks motorists on Ortiz Avenue to use caution starting Sunday night, Nov. 8, into the overnight hours and into Monday morning Nov. 9 as crews shift southbound traffic to the newly constructed lanes just south of S.R. 82 (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard) to just north of Colonial Center Drive. Northbound traffic will not be affected.

Lee County, FL · 1d

englewoodreview.com

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A Century of Service: Venice Ignites Centennial Celebration for 100-Year-Old ‘Old Betsy’ Fire Engine

A hundred years of dedication calls for a proper celebration. This year, as Venice marks its Centennial, Venice Fire Rescue and Venice Heritage Inc. are teaming up to honor a full century of local fire service. And right at the heart of it all sits Old Betsy, the City’s treasured 1926 American LaFrance fire engine, still going strong at 100 years old.

Venice, FL · 1d

The Daily Sun

partner publisher · 22.4K followers

SMH breaks ground on Venice rehab facility

VENICE — Sarasota Memorial Hospital took another step forward in the expansion of services in Venice on Friday, breaking ground on a rehabilitation pavilion scheduled to open in the summer of 2028.

Venice, FL · 13h

beachtalkradionews.com

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Beach Voters Save Fire Department, Mosquito Board

If it was’nt for the voters on Fort Myers Beach, both the Fort Myers Beach Fire Department and Mosquito Control Board would be gone. As it turns out, Representative Adam Botana’s plan to dissolve both went down to defeat on the ballot November 3rd. Voters on Fort Myers...

Fort Myers Beach, FL · 1d